In recent years, both policy makers and consumers have become increasingly interested in developing and utilizing renewable energy sources. Policy makers have endorsed a number of initiatives designed to promote the use of renewable energy in an effort to satisfy a growing number of constituents who are concerned that the use of fossil fuels causes environmental degradation. The incentives for policy makers to promote the use of renewable energy will strengthen as their constituents become increasingly concerned with the potential environmental impact of using non-renewable sources for energy production.
Meanwhile, fossil fuel prices have skyrocketed as the global demand for energy has soared. Increasing consumer demand for energy derived from renewable sources is being driven by such economic factors. In recent years, the price of energy produced from renewables relative to the price of energy produced from traditional, non-renewable sources has decreased considerably. Consumer demand for renewable energy is likely to continue to increase as the global demand for energy and the price of traditional energy sources continue to increase.